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US journalist shot dead in Mexico

An American journalist has been killed along with two other people in separate shooting incidents in the Mexican city of Oaxaca.

28 Oct 2006 07:10 GMT

Protests in Oaxaca have been continuing for five months

Unidentified gunmen opened fire as they sought to remove road blocks set up by people protesting against Ulises Ruiz, the city's state governor, on Friday.

Bradley Will, a cameraman working with Indymedia New York, was shot in the chest and died before reaching hospital, the news group said on its web site.

"He told me it was getting sketchy," Dawn Neary, a friend of Will, said. "He would always put himself on the front lines. He was a courageous guy. He really believed in truth, public awareness and justice."

Oaxaca's state prosecutor's office said two others, including a protesting teacher, were shot dead in separate attacks.

Strikes

Nine people have been killed in the conflict that began five months ago when striking teachers and demonstrators occupied much of the state capital.

Several people were injured in the shootings

Lizbeth Cana, Oaxaca’s attorney general, blamed the violence on the protesters, who she likened to an urban guerrilla group. She said the armed men were angry residents defending themselves.

"The people are fed up with permanent violence, threats and kidnappings," Cana said.

However, protesters accuse the governor of sending the armed men against them.